Are some 1911 mag feed lips for Ball & others for JHP?

[nitesite]

First, thanks to all who helped me on a previous post about the origin of these magazines.

As I posted before, I bought these stainless mags as a newbie deputy back in 1983 or so. They have some rather unusual feed lips, with one mag clearly having longer lips than the ones SA now issues with new pistols (Metalforms?). The short ones, although the same approximate length as new SA issue, are uniquely shaped (in my limited experience).

Anyone care to explain to me whether the longer or the shorter lips have any distinct advantage? And why would the same manufacturer make both? Is it because of a FMJ vs JHP issue? The Speer Lawman 200-gr JHP (Flying Ashtray) was gaining in popularity back then. Is it possible that someone was tweaking to get the best reliability with that ammo with longer lips?

Either design has been extremely reliable in all the 1911s I have shot with them.

Thanks for any help you may give.

Dave (nitesite)

 

[dfariswheel]

Some years ago Colt altered the magazine from the original "short" lipped design, to the newer "long" style.

This was simply to make it easier to build a reliable magazine.

The longer lips are easier to "tune" for proper release, and the magazine was easier to form.
With the new design, cartridge release can be "tuned" over a much wider range by opening or closing the lips.

With the long lips, the cartridge is under control longer, which enhances reliability.

Since Colt went with this design, MOST magazine makers have copied it for the same reasons Colt did.

Colt never had a special magazine for different bullet designs.

As for you having the two designs from the same maker, likely that was around the time they made the change-over, and one was old stock.

 

[Chuck Dye]

If you are a 1911 owner and have not yet acquired a copy of Jerry Kuhnhausen’s "The Colt .45 Automatic, A Shop Manual" by all means do so! Check your local gunshops first (shop local, if you can!) or check out www.gunbooks.com for new copies, www.addall.com or www.bookfinder.com for new and used. Magazine tuning is based on both the overall cartridge length and the profile of the bullet used and a given magazine will work well for loads in a given range.

 

[nitesite]

Thank you both very very much!

Regards,

nitesite